Charlie Crist: I Left GOP Over Party’s Treatment Of First Black President

There’s more than enough reason to question the sincerity of Democrat-come-lately Charlie Christ (pictured). The former Republican governor of Florida, who is now trying to be the next governor as a Democrat, gave a spirited performance of a “Come to Jesus moment” during his interview with journalist Jorge Ramos. Crist said all the things a person who really, really wants to rile up Democratic support says, especially when it comes to what fuels much of the Republican opposition to President Barack Obama.

Noting Republicans are perceived as “anti-women, anti-immigrant, anti-minority, [and] anti-gay,” Crist claimed to feel “liberated as a Democrat.” Then, Crist really went for it. The former governor explained, “I couldn’t be consistent with myself and my core beliefs and stay with a party that was so unfriendly toward the African-American president — I’ll just go there. I was a Republican and I saw the activists and what they were doing, it was intolerable to me.”

Do you hear that, Florida Blacks? Crist got y’all! Now go on and vote for him. In droves, preferably. Wait in those long, long lines the racists GOP election officials are sure to force you to wait in. It’ll be worth it ’cause Crist has no time for fake ones.

Crist went on to say:

“I was a Republican, and Republicans didn’t like it. I really felt like a round peg in a square hole, so, you know, [I] would try to be a good team player, and it wasn’t always comfortable for me.”

Nonetheless, Ramos was not going to allow the other Uncle Charlie to get his Lupita Nyong’o on without being challenged. Ramos reminded Crist that much of his exiting the GOP had to do with him losing a Senate primary to Marco Rubio.

Suffice it to say, Ramos had no choice but to push back a little when Crist argued, “I am liberated as a Democrat, my true soul is able to be seen, and I couldn’t be happier about it.”

I’m happy for his soul, but I’m happier that someone had the balls to say what he did about Republican opposition to President Obama. Granted, it’s coming from a calculated politician who understands that he’s not nearly crazy and bigoted enough to be a factor in the Republican Party anymore, but I appreciate it all the same.

I could be cynical about Crist and focus on whether or not he truly meant that it was “intolerable” for him to see Republicans be so “unfriendly toward the African-American president” or I could just be grateful someone with a national platform is saying it. Crist may be new to the Democratic Party, but he’s making an argument that Democrats should have long been making.

President Obama, as the targeted Black in question, probably couldn’t get away with bringing it up, but the same cannot be said for the White national leaders of the Democratic Party. The hostility has been evident since the day President Obama was sworn in to office and has carried over since. So while it may be “easier” now for someone to say it, I’m glad someone did. And if it serves his political interest? Good. Shouldn’t speaking against racism be politically beneficial? It’s certainly helped the other side doing the polar opposite.